Smoking a Boston Butt

Murf

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Location
Apache Junction, AZ
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Ironwood 885
Previously, I smoked two Boston Butts for pulled pork on my I885 using a Traeger recipe, wrapped in tin foil with apple cider. Results were excellent. No photo after pulling.

The next one I smoke, I am thinking about injection (which I have never done) and wrapping in pink butcher paper. My thought is that the injection will replace the apple cider since I’m not using tinfoil.

What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance for any input and advice.

Murf
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There’s more of a learning curve with butcher paper, I personally only use butcher paper with beef. For some reason I feel the butcher paper affected the taste in my pork experiences
 
I used paper once, wasnt impressed. I'll continue to use foil and inject.
 
My thoughts are...try different things and keep notes on what you think when it's done. If you don't try it, you'll never know what it's like and if you're like me, you'll need notes so you can remember it.
 
My thoughts are...try different things and keep notes on what you think when it's done. If you don't try it, you'll never know what it's like and if you're like me, you'll need notes so you can remember it.
Could not agree more, I keep a running file on my phone of everything I cook. I refine the notes constantly and now have great go-to's with known timing to the dinner table.
 
I inject my pork butts with apple cider, apple juice, and sometimes mixture of Butcher's Hog Injection and Apple Juice. Pork Butt's Smoke low and slow (200 degrees) until internal temp reaches 160. Then pulled off the grill, set on a meat rack, add some liquid butter, honey, brown sugar and rub to the top of the pork butt, place inside an aluminum pan. I pour in the remaining injection or apple juice and wrap the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Back in the grill it goes until 205 degrees.

I then strain the injection/natural pork juices that gather in the bottom of the pan and run it through a fat separator. This now becomes a dipping marinade that keeps the pulled pork moist.
 
Thanks everyone for the input. I’ve learned a lot in the past 8 months from this forum and my results are more consistent. Treagering does have a learning curve but it’s all good.

As has been suggested, I keep notes in the App for every cook and note what I may do next time to better the cook. I love to “change it up” and it drives my wife crazy. I have been accused of experimenting on our guests with first time recipes. No one has walked away hungry!

I think for the next pulled pork, I’ll “experiment” with injection but use tin foil.

Murf
 
I'm going to try my first Boston butt for next weekend. I picked up a 19lb butt at Restaurant Depot. I've seen guesstimates of 1 to 1 1/2 hrs per lb @ 225 - does that sound about right?
 
I'm going to try my first Boston butt for next weekend. I picked up a 19lb butt at Restaurant Depot. I've seen guesstimates of 1 to 1 1/2 hrs per lb @ 225 - does that sound about right?


This may give you a little insight...
 
There is no right or wrong but there are some videos on YouTube where people do an injection on Pork vs. none and the injection produces a more mushy pork butt. Do not have the links handy but you can find them. I never inject anymore and have no issues. I have though wrap and foil and added the apple vinegar/apple juice mixture and I do think this helps. I am now using peach paper wrap which the traditionalists seem to like better. No issues with dryness.
 
Thanks Jim - I used the peach paper when I did my first brisket. I may try the wrapped foil pan and added apple juice/cider this time. The tough part is that I am trying to have it ready for early Saturday evening and while having it ready early (can sit in a cooler), I ideally don't want to have to get a temp alert at 3 AM :cry: to take it off and wrap it etc.
 
I no longer get too worked up waking up in the middle of the night..at least as much as I use too.

Remember it is called a stall for a reason. So do not feel you have to wrap the immediate minute you hit your desired wrap level (~165 degrees.) I just smoked a large butt and it was at 165 for a couple of hours before I get up.

Although hard to do I try to figure out when it will hit 165 and shoot for 6-8am so I can sleep overnight restfully. And do not forget you can rest for long periods of time. This last PB I smoked I had in the oven wrapped for 5 hours and was still shocked how hot it was. I tripped wrapped the peach paper with foil than wrapped once in towel and put in Wolf oven off and it was almost still too hot to tear apart five hours later.
 
I no longer get too worked up waking up in the middle of the night..at least as much as I use too.

Remember it is called a stall for a reason. So do not feel you have to wrap the immediate minute you hit your desired wrap level (~165 degrees.) I just smoked a large butt and it was at 165 for a couple of hours before I get up.

Although hard to do I try to figure out when it will hit 165 and shoot for 6-8am so I can sleep overnight restfully. And do not forget you can rest for long periods of time. This last PB I smoked I had in the oven wrapped for 5 hours and was still shocked how hot it was. I tripped wrapped the peach paper with foil than wrapped once in towel and put in Wolf oven off and it was almost still too hot to tear apart five hours later.
Great point on not having to wrap as soon as it hits 165! Think I may start it around 5-6 PM on Friday which will give me 10-12 hours to get to the point of wrapping and if it's really done in 15 or so, I can rest it as you suggest, otherwise, I still have another 10+ to get it ready by early evening on Saturday 🤞
 
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